A project with lived experience at all levels
Read our latest blog from Participation, Engagement and Policy Advisor, Julia Swann, who explains how a new project aims to empower children and young people living in secure care to research, access and lead their recovery from substance misuse, supported by youth led grant making. On Tuesday 10th March, the Scottish Government and COSLA […]
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Celebrating 13 years of CYCJ
In this blog from CYCJ director Professor Fiona Dyer, she reflects on what has changed for children and young people in the 13 years since CYCJ was established a centre at the University of Strathclyde, and what lies ahead for our work in 2026 and beyond. This spring has marked some important anniversaries in the […]
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Making the case for embedding restorative justice in human rights
Lauren Emmerson has been reflecting this RJ week on how children’s rights, access to justice, and human rights intersect when using restorative justice to heal when harm has been caused by a child or young person. For many of us working in the fields of rights-respecting justice, and those supporting individuals harmed by the behaviour of others, it may seem […]
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Building Psychological Safety for Justice-Involved Youth: Why It Matters
About our blogger: Dr Kristen Gurdak is an Assistant Professor at Florida Atlantic University whose research focuses on social inclusion among marginalised groups. Her work explores how culture and context shape identity, resilience, and social inclusion across diverse settings. She conducts cross-cultural comparative studies that inform policy, guide practice, and advance inclusive narratives for society. […]
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Language, Learning and Listening: key themes from 2025’s National Youth Justice Conference
In this blog, CYCJ’s Communications and Engagement Advisor Katya Allcott explores the key themes that emerged from this year’s Youth Justice conference. Delivered in partnership with National Youth Justice Advisory Group (NYJAG) and the Scottish Government it hosted over 200 practitioners, policymakers, researchers, and youth justice experts. This year’s theme was Childhood, Safeguarding and the […]
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Collaboration needed for the safety of Scotland’s children and young people – by Fiona Dyer
Recent events in relation to knife crime have been tragic and need to be addressed, but we must be careful that we do not create a moral panic. Research tells us there are many reasons why children may feel the need to carry knives, including fear, peer pressure, exploitation, unresolved trauma and systemic inequalities including […]
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Reflecting on the 13th International Seminar of the European Forum for Restorative Justice
Upon her return from the 13th International Seminar of the European Forum for Restorative Justice, Lauren Emmerson reflects on her experience hearing from colleagues from across the world as they explored the potential use of restorative practices in addressing the vulnerabilities faced by children on the move. In their workshop Lauren and Pamela Morrison explored […]
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A Life-Changing Experience in Malawi
How many people can say they spent two weeks of their summer holidays volunteering 8,030 miles from home? As a CYCJ employee at the University of Strathclyde, I had the privilege of joining the Renfrewshire Council team for our fourth visit to Malawi. Our group of six included two newcomers, two of us who had […]
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Challenging Justice Inequalities
Join Our Youth Advisory Group and Shape Research We are excited to announce the next phase of the “Challenging Justice Inequalities” project, a collaborative research initiative led by the Children and Young People’s Centre for Justice (CYCJ), in partnership with colleagues from the University of Strathclyde’s School of Education, the School of Law, and CELCIS […]
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